Nightmare Princess
by Cee Marie
Summary: Hi. My name's Genevieve. Genevieve Black. I'm eleven. I'm kinda goth, whatever that means. I really just like black. I live in Burgess Pennsylvania. I never knew my dad. He left before I was born. He doesn't even know I exist. Well, that's about to change.


**A fanfiction inspired by a roleplay I did with Nightmare Princess on Tumblr. R&R please!**

Nightmares. We all have them. Some more than others. I have them too. But most people also had dreams. I'm not most people. Sandman doesn't seem to visit very much. But that's okay. Maybe it's better.

I'm not like other people because I am a nightmare. They live inside me. But you know what people say about books and covers. Maybe, just maybe, I'm not such a nightmarish girl.

It was Good Friday. Easter was in three days. I wasn't very excited. Easter Bunny didn't visit me. It's almost like I didn't exists. That's how most people see me. Not at all.

I was walking to school. Snow day, so we don't have school, but I still like to go. I have a secret spot there. My elementary school is really close to my house. I'm eleven by the way. Thought you might want to know that.

Oh, and my name's Genevieve. Genevieve Black. My mom's name is Helen. I don't have a dad. I mean yah of course I have a dad, but I don't know him. Well, I kinda do, but that'll come in later.

Anyway, I was walking to the school. It was still snowing. We had maybe four inches so far, though it was deeper in some parts. I actually like the snow. Cold and dark. It's how I like things. I'm weird like that.

Other kids my age ran around, throwing snowballs and making snowmen. I don't play in the snow. I just like it.

My backpack was slung over my shoulder. I was wearing black boots so sludge wouldn't get in my socks. I hate it when that happens.

My favorite color is black. I wear it a lot.

I wore a black shirt with a black sweater and a black too-too over dark grey tights. That's how I dress. My long black bangs cover half my pale face. I'm always really pale. I have blue eyes.

No one else I know dresses like I do. Well, Cupcake wears too-too's, but her's are pink, so that doesn't count.

Even my backpack is black. But I don't wear makeup. It feels weird. I don't really need to. I like the way I look.

Our school is brick with a brown shingled roof, which was now covered in snow. I walked around the back. I don't like going inside the school. I never go in unless I have to. Mom makes me, so I can learn and stuff. Being inside reminds me of being bullied and teachers yelling and not fitting in.

But outside it's nice.

In the back is the playground. There's swings and slides and all sorts of toys locked inside a shed. On on side is a big field, now covered in snow.

I ignored all that. Around the playground is a chain-link fence. I squeeze in a hole underneath it.

I little bit into the woods behind the school is my tree. My tree is a huge live oak. Right then it wasn't so alive, but that's because it was cold. Once it warmed up my tree would wake up again.

It's a really good climbing tree. There are branches in the just right places to climb. I use those branches to climb up to the tip top of my tree.

It's the tallest tree in the whole area, so I can see everything. Well, almost.

I watched the other kids as they played in the street. They were having a snowball fight. I watched as a boy with white hair and a stick throws snowballs at the kids. They don't notice him either. But kids walk through him.

I didn't know his name then. I do now. His name is Jack Frost. Turns out he became the Guardian of Fun.

I should probably explain the whole Guardian thing. Most people don't understand.

Well, the Guardians, they protect the children of the world. You probably know most of them. Their North, also know as Santa Clause. He's the Guardian of Wonder. He brings kids toys and stuff. Well, not me but you know.

Then there's the Tooth Fairy. Her real name is Toothiana, but close enough. She's the Guardian of Memories. Your baby teeth hold your best memories. Go figure.

Then there Sandman, or Sandy. He's the Guardian of Dreams.

And last there is Bunnymund. Most know him as the Easter Bunny. He'll be coming in a few days.

There's others, but those are the Big Four, as they're called.

Jack Frost ended up becoming a Guardian too. Man in the Moon made him into one. Manny is the only Guardian I really like. People don't see him. Not like the others. But he sees us, and makes sure we are safe and happy.

Anyway, I was sitting in my tree and thinking about the Guardians and the white haired boy when I realized something had happened.

Jamie Bennet, a boy in my class, had lost control of his sleigh, thanks the the white haired winter spirit.

I jumped down from my tree and ran to the street. I came out of the woods just when Jamie crashed into the statue in the middle of town.

I ran up to him just like all his friends, worried he was hurt. He wasn't.

At least not until the couch hit him. A moving truck had lost control and the couch had fallen off.

I made a weird scream noise when it hit him. But Jamie just popped back up like a cockroach. In his hand he held his last baby tooth. He smiled a big gap tooth smile. The Tooth Fairy would visit him tonight.

She never visited me.

The kids walked away, talking about what Tooth might bring him and asking what happened to the sleigh.

The white haired boy stood next to me. He was saying something about how he just made all that fun, not the Tooth Fairy. Then Jamie walked through him. I guess he didn't notice me staring because he just flew away after that.

I felt kinda sad for him. I know what it was like to be ignored. At least he could fly.

Deep down inside I did kind have a small crush on Jamie Bennet. Yah, I admit it. But he didn't like me. He doesn't even know I exist.

I decided I would finally change that.

I ran up tot he other kids, calling Jamie's name.

He turned around, a smile on his face. It went away as soon as he saw who I was.

"Um, what is it?" He asked.

I froze. He was talking to me. No one but teachers talk directly to me. And they're usually yelling.

"I, uh, I just," I was telling myself to form words but I didn't know how to. "I,just, um, can I like, hang out with you guys? Or something." I mumbled.

Then Jamie said something that really shocked me.

"Yah sure."

I literally jumped for you. "You mean it?" I asked in half disbelief.

"Yah, of course. What's your name?"

"Genevieve." I smiled awkwardly.

"Cool. I'm Jamie."

"I know."

That made him pause. I realized too late that it sounded kinda stalker-ish. But we were in the same class.

The kids glanced at each other a little unsure.

"Well, uh, how about we come over to my house?" Jamie said at last.

I nodded and smiled. "That'd be good."

So we went to his house.

I don't really like dogs. Jamie had a dog. She was a greyhound named Abby. The moment she saw me her ears went back and she growled.

"No Abby. Genevieve is nice." Jamie went and put the dog in her cage.

I stood frozen in the front door. Everyone else was inside, staring at me. Jamie reached out and grabbed by hand.

"She's normally not like that. I'm not sure why she's all angry."

I let Jamie pull me inside. His house was nice. Nicer than my house anyway.

"Maybe I smell funny." I mumbled.

Jamie shrugged and he and his friends went through the house to the back door. I followed.

A little girl ran up and hugged Jamie. I knew she was Jamie's sister but I couldn't remember her name.

"Sophie, not now."

Oh yah. Sophie.

The little girl frowned. Jamie's mom called her and Sophie ran into the kitchen. Jamie lead us out to his snow covered yard.

"Alright, who wants to make snow forts for another snowball fight?" Asked Jamie as he ran to the middle of the yard.

The other kids cheered at the thought.

"Okay, let's make teams. I'll be one team captain and Caleb will be the other."

Jamie and Caleb stood in front of us as they called out names in turn.

"Pippa" Said Jamie.

"Claude"

"Cupcake."

"Monty"

I was the last one and it was Jamie's turn.

"So uh, Genevieve." I ran over to Jamie's team smiling. I could hear Pippa groan but I tried to ignore it. I was actually playing with kids my age.

The two teams ran to opposite sides of the yard and began to build snow forts. Our team started with a wall. We packed snow together to create a two foot tall mound around us.

I moved to one side to make snowballs. I packed together ball after ball with my bare hands. My fingers started to go numb but I shrugged it off and continued to make amo.

I glanced over our wall to see the opposing team had the same idea.

Soon I had nearly twenty snowballs set in a neat pile.

Jamie glanced over at me. "Great job." My face flushed at his complement.

And then the game started. It was mostly a blur to me. A bunch or round, cold, blurs.

A snowball hit me square in the neck with such force I fell back. I felt the silver chain of my necklace snap and I watched in horror as my glass vial shattered on a rock.

I ran to my broken necklace sobbing.

The other kids stopped throwing snowballs and ran to see if I was alright. I wasn't

I desperately tried picking up the black sand that had leaked from the vial.

"What happened?" Jamie Asked.

"M-my necklace broke." Tears were dripping from my face into the snow.

"What's so important about that necklace?" Claude asked.

I didn't answer. The black sand began to disappear in the snow. My tears didn't help.

"It's just sand."

My eyes show open. It wasn't just sand. I said so. "I'm so much more than sand." I yelled.

Claude backed away. My reaction obviously startled him.

I knelt back down over my sand. The I did something I promised myself I would never do in public.

I used my powers.

I lifted a shaking hand and waved it over the black sand. Slowly it began to raise to the top of the snow.

I made a loop shape with my wrist and the sand rose in the air. I closed my eyes as the others gasped.

I opened them again and I watched as the sand began to take shape. It was a horse. I cupped my hands around the tiny horse and whispered to it. The horse made a huffing sound and flew from my palms to the pocket of my jacket.

I stood with tears still shimmering on my cheeks. "I have to go." I said at last before I turned and ran home.

Only Jamie called out in protest. But that died away as I ran home.

I knew it. I always did. No one would except me. I was too different. I was the child of Fear after all.

Mom wasn't home yet. She didn't get home until really late because of her job. I lay in my bed as I cried. My sheets were over my head, blocking out the world. My room was dark. Pitch black.

I had never met my dad. He left before I was born. Left before mom even kew she was pregnant. He didn't know I existed. For a long time mom wouldn't talk about him. She wouldn't even tell me his name.

But one day I asked her why there was always black sand in my room and she broke down and told me. I wasn't expecting her to start crying. I didn't know why sand had anything to do with my dad until she told me the story.

Well I know now and sometimes I wish I didn't.

My dad is the shadow that follows you home. He's the rustling beneath your bed. He's the monster in the closet. He's the black sky and the ghost stories that keep you up and the unspoken fears trapped deep inside your heart.

Children call him the Boogyman.

The Guardians call him the Nightmare King.

The world knows him as fear.

My father is Pitch Black.

I remember the night my mom told me the truth. She was taking care of bills late that night when I woke up with a nightmare. Nightmares don't scare me. I think they're pretty. They're big black horses that make hissing sounds and have gold eyes.

That night I decided to ask her about the sand.

Mom's head snapped up as she heard me walking into her room. She sat on the bed, a pen in her hand.

"What's wrong baby?" She asked me. I was eight then.

"Why is there black sand in my room?" I asked right to the point.

My mom looked shocked. Then she started to cry.

"Come here." She said and I went to her. I reached out my hand to show her the black sand. She cried more.

"How could he?" She whispered.

"How could who do what?" I asked innocently. I honestly didn't understand what was going on. I blame that on being eight.

Mom picked me up and set me on her lap. She brushed back some of my hair before she spoke.

"You always ask who your dad is." She said. I nodded, not knowing what my dad had to do with anything.

"Well. I telly you. I should have told you a long time ago. But I was scared."

"Why momma?"

"I was afraid of what you would think." She seemed so sad.

"I wouldn't be mad or upset or anything." I said to try and comfort her.

I nuzzled her shoulder hoping that would help. It did.

"Your father isn't human." Was what she said first. I looked up at her a little surprised.

"Then what is he?"

"He's..." she bit her lip, looking for words. "He's a shadow of sorts. You know the story if the Sand Man?" She asked me.

I nodded. "The man who gives kids good dreams? The one that never visits me?" I immediately regretted that last comment. Mom looked torn.

"Yes, him." She whispered. "You father is like his opposite. Sandman brings dreams, your father brings nightmares."

"So my dad is like the evil sandman?" I asked.

Mom laughed a little. "He isn't evil. Not really."

"Does everyone think he's not evil? Or is that just you?" She didn't answer.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Pitch. Pitch Black."

I ran the name over in my head. I liked it. I realized he had the same last name as me. That was funny.

"Did you love him?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Did he love you?"

Mom was quiet for a long time. "I'm not sure." She said sadly.

I decided that was enough sadness for her that night. I told her she could go to bed and she could tell me more tomorrow. I slept with her that night and the next and the next until she had told all her story. It took a week of nights for her to tell it all. We had to cut short a lot because she would start crying.

But now I know who I am.


End file.
